Mortal Kombat II trailer hints at a challenging return for Johnny Cage in the upcoming film

Mortal Kombat II is set to arrive in theaters on October 24, 2025, continuing the saga of the iconic video game franchise. Based on the games created by Ed Boon and John Tobias, the movie is produced by New Line Cinema and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures.

The plot centers around a new tournament that pits Earthrealm’s champions against the deadly warriors of Outworld. The stakes are higher as the dark tyrant Shao Kahn rises to power, threatening to conquer Earth. Johnny Cage, once a movie star and now a reluctant fighter, joins the team to protect humanity. The story unfolds across realms, introducing new fighters and returning legends.

The Mortal Kombat II trailer was released on July 17, 2025, during a special live stream by IGN, Warner Bros. Pictures, and IMAX. The trailer offers fans a first look at Karl Urban as Johnny Cage.

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What’s in the trailer of Mortal Kombat II?

The recently released Mortal Kombat II trailer opens with Karl Urban’s Cage sitting alone in a bar. He’s approached by a fan wanting a reboot of one of his old movies. Cage responds:

“Nobody wants that. S*it went out in the ’90s,” sets the tone for a character who has lost his confidence and martial edge.

In a major shift from the previous movie, the trailer hints that Cage is stepping into the spotlight as the sequel’s protagonist. Unlike Cole Young, who led the first film, Johnny Cage is now tasked with defending the Earthrealm despite having no supernatural powers.

“I’m just incredibly handsome,” he declares during a fight in the trailer.

Director Simon McQuoid emphasized that Karl Urban’s Cage begins the film in a very different place than expected. On July 17, 2025, Karl told IGN:

“When we first discover Johnny, he is sort of lacking a lot of that quintessential spark that fans of the game will know. He has no self-confidence. He has neglected his martial arts training.”

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Elsewhere in the trailer, a fast-paced montage features Cage facing Baraka in brutal hand-to-hand combat. Other characters like Scorpion, Jade, and Noob Saibot appear brieflyt. One standout scene shows Scorpion performing a gruesome Fatality, giving a nod to the game’s legacy of over-the-top violence.

Producer Todd Garner explained to IGN why Johnny Cage was absent from the first film:

"We didn't know if the general audience would buy an arrogant actor as the lead of the first movie, or would it be strange that it would be this arrogant actor in this basically martial arts movie? Did it feel weird?”

This approach is reflected in the trailer, which builds anticipation for Cage’s arc. Raiden recruits him despite his reluctance, leading to moments where Cage trains, fights, and gradually earns his place among Earthrealm’s defenders. At the end of the trailer, Johnny strikes a battle-ready pose as Shao Kahn looms in the background, signaling the climax of a warrior’s journey.

Fans of the games may notice familiar levels and environments reimagined for the big screen. Director McQuoid said:

“....we go to Edenia and we spend a lot of time there… It was great to bring massive scale to that.”

Overall, the trailer's focus on character development alongside brutal combat appears to be a significant evolution from the previous installment. It delivers more fighting, more spectacle, and as Richard Brenner of New Line teased at CinemaCon, “a few fatalities” that fans will recognize instantly.

Read More: Your guide to Mortal Kombat II release date, cast, and more

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Production and direction of Mortal Kombat II

Mortal Kombat II is directed by Simon McQuoid, returning after the success of the 2021 reboot. With Jeremy Slater (known for Moon Knight) writing the screenplay, the film explores deeper character arcs and broader world-building. The film is produced by a team including Todd Garner, James Wan, E. Bennett Walsh, and McQuoid himself.

Filming began in Australia in June 2023, reportedly paused during the SAG-AFTRA strike, and resumed in November before wrapping in January 2024.

“There are things in the IMAX version you won’t see in the regular version,” McQuoid noted during the trailer launch.

Karl Urban as Johnny Cage (Image via Instagram@mortalkombatmovie)

The creative team seemingly avoided “celebrity casting,” focusing on actors who could fully embody their roles. Karl Urban was chosen after significant consideration. Garner told IGN:

“What we tried to do with this movie in the casting from the get-go is not have celebrity casting of like, oh, it's so-and-so playing Liu Kang. We wanted it to be Liu Kang, we wanted it to be Scorpion, we wanted it to be Sub-Zero, Jax, and so forth. So it wasn't like we were going for the biggest star."

This attention to detail is reflected in the action sequences, training regimens, and set designs. McQuoid added:

“I wanted to use what Mortal Kombat had by going to new realms and giving it a bigger, more wild feel, more scope, and use the material that's just sitting there ready to be used.”

Karl Urban underwent intense physical training, calling it “the most difficult fighting" that he has "ever done" in his career. His portrayal of Johnny Cage focuses on emotional realism.

“The main objective was to make Johnny Cage feel like a real person,” Urban shared.

Also Read: Karl Urban defies age barriers by channelling the uncaged fury of Johnny Cage in a new Mortal Kombat II teaser

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Warner Bros. Pictures will release Mortal Kombat II in theaters on October 24, 2025.

Edited by DEEPALI